Emirati blogger and social media star Khalid Al Ameri is not just your everyday ‘influencer’ you see mushrooming all over the internet via social media platforms.
The UAE-based Youtuber is also a motivational speaker and journalist who is passionate about storytelling and exploring untold stories in an effort to bring together all parts of the world and eliminate close-minded perspectives that society has maintained for decades.
Khalid, alongside his wife Salama has gained a steady following and an ardent fan base around the globe, that witnesses the world from their point of view and gains a dose of inspiration from their bubbly personas.
Traveling to different continents, and meeting individuals from all walks of life, Khalid Al Ameri unravels the diversity of humans while discovering their stories from a personal angle, bringing intimate yet under-represented narratives to a global social media platform.
Recently, his South Asia tour landed him in the pearl of the Indian Ocean; Sri Lanka, a land close to his heart.
In the wake of the disturbing events that unfolded on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka, on the 21st of April, 2019, Khalid Al Ameri was on a pilgrimage trip to Mecca, the holy city of Islam. Hearing about the tragic news of the series of explosions that shook the country, the Emirati Youtuber released a heartfelt video titled,” Pray for Sri Lanka”, in which he spoke about the importance of coming together to do good for humanity and overpower evil forces with kindness and love. His message reached thousands of viewers including devastated Sri Lankans who felt a sense of comfort and reassurance in a time of turmoil.
Khalid’s short stay in the country from the 2nd of June to the 5th of June 2023, did not stop him from embracing the culture and essence of the island. Uploading snippets from his adventures around Colombo, the social media activist was seen wearing a sarong and shirt, paired with his Toppi in the middle of the busy streets of Colombo.
The social media sensation hosted a meet-and-greet in Colombo on the 5th of June, where a large crowd arrived to engage and interact with Khalid Al Ameri. His visit to Sri Lanka comes at an opportune time for the country’s recovering travel and tourism sector, for his influence on a number of social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, may inspire a large market of international tourists to visit the island nation.
“Words cannot describe how special yesterday’s show was to my team and me, much love and blessings to everyone who came and made the event a memory that will last forever, Sri Lanka we love you,” he penned under a Facebook post after the meet-and-greet.
On his last day on the island, the blogger took his time to visit the ‘Ash-Shifaa’ home for children with special needs in Wellampitiya, St. Anthony’s Shrine, Kochchikade and the Maha Kali Amman Kovil in Modara, staying true to his purpose of pursuing people and their unique stories.
The Emirati influencer and columnist has a massive audience of over 13 million across all his social media profiles, who consume his feel-good and informative videos, directed creatively while encapsulating his aim of bridging the Middle East to the rest of the world. Khalid Al Ameri believes that the mainstream, negative narratives that are fabricated about the Middle East by the media have preoccupied the world for too long, and he hopes to challenge this by creating wholesome, and worthy content that captures the true spirit of humanity.
